June is fast approaching and with it comes one of Bend’s premier trail races, the FootZone Dirty Half. Unlike most other events, this is a single distance race, with only the half marathon offered. However, this race draws no less than 500 runners every year and it is not uncommon to see several pro runners turn out. According to Run Oregon’s own Drew Roberts, who has run this race several times, the course is fantastic,…
The Lake Oswego Lake Run is finally returning! This well-known hilly race includes a 10K, 5K, a virtual option of either distance, and a Kids’ Dash. It also includes the annual Family Fun Festival at the finish area – Millennium Plaza. Proceeds from this event go to Northwest Housing Alternatives. There will also be a food drive for low income seniors living in Lake Oswego, so don’t forget to bring a few non-perishable food items…
It’s time to register for the annual Run for the Hills held in Corvallis on Sunday, June 5th. These scenic and challenging trail courses include an 8K and 30K option. And new to the lineup this year is the half marathon! The 8K course takes place in Bald Hill Park; the 30K includes the full 8K course and adds in a trip to Fitton Green Natural Area along the Mulkey Ridge connector trail. Both courses include…
If you are looking to mix up your racing schedule, Obstacle Course Races (OCRs) are are tons of fun and guaranteed to add some crazy variety to your runs. I’m excited to share the many OCRs on tap for the 2022 season. And, of course, I’m hoping I can squeeze them all in – or at least most of them! 🙂 You’ve got a few months before the season hits, so if you aren’t strength…
The Willamette Valley Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10K will be held in Salem on Sunday, May 29. Breakaway Promotions WVM is back for its 4th year combined with the Willamette Valley Wine Festival. As always, there is a marathon, half marathon, and 10K for runners to take advantage of. All races will start at Riverfront Park then head over the new Peter Courtney Bridge into Minto-Brown Island Park and follow the Willamette River south before…
After years of wondering about the Camellia Run and its accompanying festival, I was finally able to make it to this event. Despite the forecast of rain, I arrived at the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg with the sun making a surprise appearance. Food carts and vendors surrounded the starting area, a local yoga instructor led pre-race yoga; and inside the Cultural Center, the set up for the Camellia Festival had begun. There was no…
When I first pulled these out of the box, my teenager commented on how ‘cool’ they looked. He’s never in his 14 years noted that I have anything cool or even remotely stylish. While I count that as a plus, my biggest concern is functionality. I know the 2014 Male Ironman winner was wearing these kicks for his event, but I didn’t do more than 8 miles at a time in them. I usually wear stability…
I don’t often wear running tights, but on a recent 31-degree morning, I got a chance to test some new Elite Compression Leggings from Encinitas, California apparel company Vuori, and I was glad I had them on. The first thing I noticed about the Elite tights was the excellent fit. The “V4” 4-way stretch fabric is pleasantly stretchy, but neither too baggy nor too tight. The tailoring and cut is great too. The wide ankle…
Are you ready to tackle the third event in the 2015 Run Big Trail Series? Bring it, that’s what I say! The Run Big Trail Series, by Level 32 Racing, consists of 6 events spread out over the course of the year. I love this series, and it is very quickly gaining popularity in the trail running community. Event three is the 9th Annual Ridgeline Ramble, which takes place in Eugene on Saturday, May 23,…
When you contemplate running safely, most of us think of safety vests, blinking lights, and bright clothes. However, this article delves a little deeper into the dark side of runner safety; staying safe from assaults. Recently, there have been a series of these piling up. These types of assaults bring up different concerns about running safely and ones that are in sharp contrast to the usual ones, such as avoiding becoming a target. Please rememeber that you…
